Tool joint control for blowout preventers



. 1940- J. 5. ABERCROMBIE Y 2,188,141. I

TOOL JOINT CONTROL FOR BLOWOUT PREVENTERS Filed June 10, 1938 4sheets-sheet 1 ITLE; L

ISABERGRQHBIE.

I BY Jai 5 Qp k ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 23, 1940.

TOOL JOINT CONTROL FOR BLOWOUT PREVENTERS Filed June 10, 1938 4Sheets-Sheet s ISABERGRONBlE GNVfilTOR BY 4 A TTORNEYS.

J. s. ABERCROMBIE 2,188,141 1 1940. J. 5. ABERCROMBIE 2,l8 8,'I4-1 TOOLJOINT CONTROL FOR B 'ow oUT PREVENTERS I Filed June 10, 1938 4Sheets-Sheet 4 REAL I S. A BERG-RON 51E ATTORNEYS.-

Patented 18.11. 23.1940

TOOL JOINT CONTROL FOR BLOWOUT PREVENTERS James S. Abercrombie, Houston,Tex., assig'nor to Cameron Iron Works, a corporation Application June10, 1938, Serial No. 212,875 1 Claim. (01. 16614) The invention relatesto an automatic control for the manipulation of blowout preventers or Inthe rotary method of drilling wells where the drill stem. is rotated inthe well bore in order to impart rotation to the drill bit, acirculation of drilling fluid is maintained through the drill stem andthe well bore. Very often excessive pressures are encountered in theformations and it is necessary to close the well bore about the drillstem during all 'of the operation. With the type of drill pipe usuallyused to make up the drill stem the sections of pipe are joined togetherby couplings known as tool joints which are of somewhat larger diameterthan the section of pipe. the standard type of drill stem a greater'distance than the length of a section of pipe when the blowoutpreventer is closed about the drill stem. The practice has thereforearisen of providing two blowout preventers which are spaced apart andwhich may be opened and closed alternately in order to pass thecouplings on the pipe. Such an arrangement is disclosed in the patent ofHansen, 1,517,504, dated December 2,

With an arrangement of the sort shown in Hansen, however, great caremust be exercised in moving the drill pipe in the operating of theblowout preventers to insure that a seal is always maintained about the.drill stem and that the upper and lower preventers are opened and closedat the proper time.

The present invention directs itself to an automatic control'for theoperation of the blowout preventers which control is actuated by theapproach and the passing of the tool joints or couplings as the drillpipe moves into the well bore.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a mechanism whichwill be actuated by the passage of enlargements upon a string of pipe tomanipulate closure members for the well head so that the enlargementsmay pass the closure members.

Another object of the invention is to provide in combination with a pairof spaced blowout preventers a mechanism for controlling the op- It istherefore impossible to move which will alternately open and close apair of spaced preventers as a tool joint coupling approaches and passesthe preventers.

Other and further objects of the invention will be readily apparent whenthe following description is considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig.1 is a diagrammatic view of a pair of spaced blowout preventers inclosed position about a string of pipe with a tool joint coupling beinglowered into the mechanism in order to eifect its operation.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 and showing the upper preventer ashaving been opened by engagement of the enlargement on the pipe with themechanism.

Fig. 3 shows still a third step where the upper preventer has now beenclosed by further engagement of the enlargement on the pipe with themechanism after such enlargement has passed the. upper preventer,

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of the preventers and showing adiagrammatic arrangement of the automatically controlled mechanism. bywhich the preventer is operated.

In Fig. 1 the well casing of course projects from the earth and willhave the housing 2 of the lower blowout preventer 3 connected thereto bymeans of the flange 4. The preventer 30' is of the usual type, havingopposed cylinders 6 in which movable ram members 1 are arranged forsliding movement to close; the passage 8 through the housing 2. As seenin the upper right hand portion of Fig. 1, such a ram Bis arthe ram. if'desired,-or to lock it in closed position by having the collar 2| abutthe end IQ of the cylinder. The particular and detailed construction ofthe ram, piston and spindle form no part of the present invention.

'ine opposing rams 8 are cut away on their faces so that they cooperatetogether to form a seal across the passage 9 and around the drill stemor string of pipe 25.

A second preventer 26 is disposed'upon the first preventer 3 and isidentical in construction with the preventer Just described. Theopposite cylinders are identical in their construction and operation.

In order to control the flow of fluid pressure to the cylinders a valve30 is positioned in the lines I4 and I5 of the preventer 3 and a similarvalve 3| is positioned in the fluid pressure lines l4 and I5 of thevalve 26. A pipe 32 conducts fluid under pressure to both the valves 30and 3|. This may be steam, drilling mud, or pressure taken directly fromthe well bore or a combination thereof as may be desired.

The drill pipe 25 is shown as having the sections thereof connectedtogether with an enlarged coupling 35. This coupling may be in the formof a tool joint or any other enlargement which is to be passed throughthe blowout preventers 3 and 26 while a seal is being maintained aroundthe pipe 25 to close the passage 9.

Each of the valves 30 and 3| have a rotor therein which has the passages4| and 42 which will admit pressure from the pipe 32 into either thepipes l4 or the pipes l5 of the pair of cylinders and at the same timeconnect the exhaust of the opposing pipe so that any fluid on theexhaust side of the piston Ill in the cylinder 6 may be exhausted. Asthe valves 38 and 3| are set in Fig. 1 they are disposed to close therams and hold them in closed position due to the force of the fluidpressure.

In Fig. 4 the rotor 40 is shown as extending from the housing of thevalve 30 and has a rock shaft connected thereto. This shaft is journaledin the stud 46 on a blowout preventer housing and has a pinion 41 fixedthereon which pinion is shown in Fig. 1 as being in engagement with arack 48 which is mounted on a pivot pin 49 carried by the blowoutpreventer.

An arm 50 is fixed to the rack 48 so that rocking movement of this arm50 will impart rotation to the rock shaft 45 and operate the valve 30.

In order that this arm 50 may be actuated to effect the operation of theblowout preventer a plunger 52 is fixed to the lower end thereof by apivotal connection 53 and this plunger projects through a stufiing box54 in a wall of the blowout preventer housing. It may have an enlargedinner end 55 thereon which projects into the passage 9 in the blowoutpreventer. A similar plunger 51 is mounted on the upper end of the arm50. It seems obvious therefore that tilting of the arm 50 will move theplunger 52 in one direction and the plunger 51 in the opposite di--rection. In Fig. 1 the upper plunger is moved inwardly and the lowerplunger moved outwardly. The parts will be so adjusted and arranged thatthe enlargement 35 will contact the plunger heads 55 and cause asuflicient movement thereto to actuate the valve 30 and either open orclose the preventer, dependent upon the direction of the movement of theenlargement relative to the blowout preventer.

The upper preventer will be similarly constructed with a mechanism forcontrolling the operation of the valve 3|. 1

.5 InFigJtheentorcouplingiiisapproaching the upper plunger 51 and inFig. 2 has moved the plunger rearwardly to tilt the arm 50, rock theshaft 45 and operate the valve 3| to admit pressure fluid through thepipes l5 so as to open the rams from their sealing position around thepipe. The lower blowout preventer has not been engaged by an enlargedcoupling and is closed to maintain the sealing of the well bore.

The lowering of the pipe continues and Fig. 3 shows the enlargement ashaving engaged the plunger 52 so that the arm 50 has been tilted in theopposite position and the position of the control valve 3| reversed toexhaust the fluid pressure from the pipe I5 and admit it from the pipesl4 so as to close the rams. Thus the upper preventer opened, passed thecoupling and then closed. During this time the lower preventermaintained the seal of the well bore.

In Fig. 3 as the lowering of the pipe continues the operation justdescribed will be repeated to first open and then close the blowoutpreventer 3.

It seems obvious from the foregoing that a mechanism has been providedwhich will operate automatically to open and close the blowoutpreventers to permit the passage of an enlargement on the pipe wheresuch enlargement controls the operation of the preventers. As otherenlargements on the pipe approach the assembly from above, the operationjust described will be repeated.

When it is desired to reverse the movement I of the drill pipe and theenlarged couplings, the rack or segment 48 can be released or removed sothat it may be reset relative to the pinion 21 so as to reverse theposition of the plungers 52 and 51 so that the lower plunger will befirst engaged by the enlargement on the pipe. Any other desiredmechanism for reversing the position of the plungers or the controlvalve may be provided.

Broadly the invention contemplates a mechanism which will beautomatically operated to manipulate the blowout preventers upon theapproach and passing of an enlargement upon a string of pipe being movedthrough the preventers.

What is claimed is:

A packing device for drill rods, comprising a well casing and a drillrod adapted to operate therein, said drill rod being composed of aplurality of separate sections with joints between the sections oflarger diameter, pairs of oppositely acting reciprocating packingmembers having grooves adapted to embrace the drill rods tosubstantially seal the well casing and fluid pressure operated meansincluding two independently operated sets of plungers for normallymaintaining one of said pairs of packing members in engagement with thedrill rod and another pair out of engagement therewith, said last meansbeing actuated by contact with said larger diameter joints, andincluding an arm connecting each set of plungers.

- JAMES B. ABERCROMEIE.

